In July 1864, as Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman’s U.S. army closed in on Atlanta and found its fortifications too strong to assault and too extensive to invest, he sent Maj. Gen. George Stoneman with three cavalry brigades, 2112 men, and 2 guns to cut the Central of Georgia R.R. that supplied the city’s Confederate defenders. On the 27th, Stoneman left Decatur, crossed the Ocmulgee (Yellow) River near Covington, and moved down the left bank toward Macon. On the 30th, at Clinton, he detached parties of the 14th Illinois Cavalry, which wrecked railway facilities at Gordon, McIntyre, Toomsboro, and Griswoldville, burning trains, loaded cars on sidings, machinery, supplies, trestles, and the railway bridge over the Oconee River east of Toomsboro. Stoneman then advanced to Macon, where strongly intrenched Georgia Militia stopped him. Unable to force their works, he shelled Macon briefly and then tried to retreat. On the morning of Sunday the 31st, after a night of harassment, Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson, Jr., with only 1300 Confederate cavalry, intercepted him and deceived him into believing he was being surrounded. With his men exhausted and ammunition running low, Stoneman covered the northward escape of Adams’ and Capron’s brigades, then surrendered himself with about 600 men and his artillery and train to what he believed was a much larger force.